What is the formula for finding the area of a rectangle?

The formula for finding the area of a rectangle is determined by multiplying its length by its width. This is because the area represents the total space or surface covered within the bounds of the rectangle. By taking the length (one side of the rectangle) and multiplying it by the width (the adjacent side), you effectively count all the unit squares that fit within the shape.

In a rectangle, both the length and the width are essential dimensions that define its size. If you can visualize a rectangle, you can think of partitioning it into smaller unit squares; the number of these squares can be calculated by multiplying the two dimensions together.

In contrast, adding the length and width would yield a value that does not correspond to any physical measure of area, while subtracting one from the other or dividing them also fails to provide the actual space covered. Hence, multiplying length by width is the only correct approach to determine the area of a rectangle.